The prestigious Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in Carmel, CA was the setting for the reveal event of the redesigned 2013 Lexus GS.

The new GS brings a more engaging driving experience, bolder design and a more spacious, contemporary interior, heralding a new chapter in the history of Lexus.

The main objective of the new GS was to provide a more engaging driving experience. To achieve the Lexus development team created a new aerodynamic body, a wider stance and stiffer structure, a transmission with quicker changes and distinctive engine sound and exhaust note.

Ken Block, Ninja Warriors, Jaws, and Bacon Strips

Like any good sequel, the action gets bigger and bigger as Ken tries to raise the bar with his Gymkhana videos promoting his DC Shoes brand and high powered Ford Fiesta. Now close your office door, crank up the speakers, and prepare for some high-octane Hollywood fun.

This is the all-new, fourth-generation CR-V that is set to go on sale in the U.S. by the end of 2011 and in Europe in Autumn 2012

The new Honda CR-V goes for a distinctive new design and bold styling direction. Compared to the previous generation CR-V, the concept model has a more aggressive stance with deeper sculpting of the body lines and a bolder front grille. Overall the lower front bumper design integrates more smoothly into the fascia for improved aerodynamics and curves upward to convey off-road capability. There are also five-spoke alloy wheels and bolder fender flares.

Powertrain details haven’t been released, but the new CR-V is expected to be outfitted with a more efficient engine and deliver improved fuel economy. Also look for more interior room and reduced curb weight.

The next generation Porsche 911, internally known as project 991, isn’t set to be officially shown until September at the Frankfurt Auto Show this year. Spy shots have been posted on such sites as autospies.com and WordCarFans. Now a video from Porsche has been released on their YouTube channel.

Clear differences between the new model and the current 997 are the more upright headlights, a slightly longer body, and the side mirrors are now positioned at the side of the doors and not at the window.

Other new features for the new 911 will include extensive use of lightweight carbon materials and active aerodynamics–surfaces that react to what the car is doing, and how fast it’s doing it. Expect adjustable front and rear spoilers, dynamically opening and closing air intakes and an automatic rear wing.

BMW is launching their “Don’t Txt & Drive” national advertising campaign of tv, print, online and radio messages designed to raise awareness and show the consequences of distracted driving. The campaign theme of “Don’t Txt & Drive – When the Engine Starts the Texting Stops” will illustrate different situations of careless parents endangering their children with distracted driving and will run from June throughout the year.

The U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood states that, “Distracted driving is an epidemic in America, and it has deadly consequences for thousands of people on our roads each year”. The U.S. Department of Transportation also provides shocking statistics that nearly 5500 people died in car accidents in 2009 involving distracted drivers, while the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that nearly 87 percent of teens admit they text while driving. All of this has prompted BMW to become involved in this campagin of urging drivers to put down their phones and focus on the road. Jim O’Donnell, CEO of BMW of North America states, “We developed this campaign to be impactful in hopes of evoking emotion and conveying the serious dangers of distracted driving and its potential consequences.” In efforts to reach out to teens, the “Don’t Txt & Drive” message will also be incorporated in more than 100 teen driving schools across the United States.

The new electric Tesla Model S production is scheduled to begin in mid-2012, starting with the Signature Series, and continuing with the 300-mile batteries, followed by 230-mile and 160-mile battery options later that year. Tesla will offer three battery options, the 160-, 230-, and the 300-mile range. The Model S will come standard with the 160-mile range battery with the 230-mile and 300-mile range batteries as optional upgrades. The Model S Signature will also come with the 300-mile range battery and will have limited edition offerings with colors and options not available for Model S.

The Model S will have a top speed of approximately 125 mph, a 0-60 mph time of approximately 5.6 seconds, and a single-speed gearbox. It will feature a standard 17” infotainment touchscreen on every Model S with in-car 3G connectivity for streaming radio and gps navigation, a liquid-cooled, floor-mounted battery pack, and panoramic glass roof and rear-facing child seats as planned optional upgrades.

For many new car buyers, heading over to the local dealership for a test drive is part of the shopping routine. Unfortunately, going for a 10 min. spin around the block with an over-eager sales-person sitting shotgun doesn’t really help in evaluating a car, especially if it’s a high-performance vehicle.

Recognizing this flaw, Porsche has decided to hit the road this year and make its world-class cars available to the public, and allow for much more than just a brief test drive. The Porsche World Roadshow program will be stopping at 6 US cities this summer, offering extended test drives and a performance driving experience that allows prospective buyers to put select models to the test.

The refreshed 2012 Mazda3 features an all-new SkyActiv-G 2.0-liter, 155-horsepower engine and a SkyActiv-MT six-speed manual transmission or optional SkyActiv-Drive six-speed automatic transmission for sedan or hatchback models. The Mazda3 is the first to include SkyActiv fuel-saving and performance-oriented technologies, achieving 40-mpg on the highway and a potential 540-mile range. The MZR 2.0-liter engine will continue to be available, along with a Mazda MZR 2.5-liter engine.

Mazda says that the new 2.0-liter, direct-injection four-cylinder is good for 155 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque, which offers modest increases over the old, non-DI 2.0-liter engine.

The all-new, redesigned 2012 Kia Rio (Rio5 in North America) features a 1.6-liter, GDI 4-cylinder, 138-horsepower engine and a 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic transmission, that both achieve 40-mpg on the highway and 30-mpg in the city. The Rio will come in 3 trims, the LX, EX and the SX and will also offer ISG technology, which turns the vehicle’s engine off when it’s not in motion for lower fuel consumption. The Rio also has increased space by becoming longer, wider, and lower and features a reduced engine weight of 29 pounds over previous models.